Hermann’s Tortoise

Tom joined the Biome crew in 2019 and quickly became a public favourite. How could you not adore this little face?

The Hermann’s tortoise is a yellow-brown, thick-scaled tortoise native to Mediterranean Europe. The diet of a Hermann’s tortoise like Tom consists of vegetation he would find while foraging in the Mediterranean wild, like leafy greens and grasses, veggies, and flowers. But his very favourite treat has to be raspberries.

Hermann’s tortoises live on average 70 years, though some have been known to live longer than this, even over 120 years. They are popular in the pet trade as they are gentle, laid-back, and passive, only biting to defend themselves. The Hermann’s tortoise population is declining, and they are considered endangered. There are currently more Hermann’s tortoises living in captivity than there are in the wild.